Finns Fear Soviets May Use Poison Gas

[Globalization41]

Helsinki (Helsingfors), United Press, The
Merced (California) Sun-Star, Monday,
December 4, 1939: The Finns feared today
the full fury of Soviet Russia -- especially from
the air -- was about to be released upon them.
As the German steamer Donau sailed today
with German colonists and other foreigners,
reports spread that Russian fliers planned to
bombard the city with poison gas. ... Most of
the civil population had fled but the cabinet
remained. Premier Risti Ryti declared he
would not leave the capital until it became
most necessary. ... The departure of the
Donau was considered an ill omen. Forty
members of the Russian legation were
aboard, in addition to several hundred
Germans. Italians, and Estonians, and its
presence here had been the best guarantee
that the Russians would not unleash the
terrible aerial bombardment they were said
to have threatened in handbills dropped on
the city during the week end. ... Most foreign
diplomats, including 13 Americans, had fled.
At Stockholm, the newspaper Dagens
Nyheter said two-thirds of the 900 Germans
refused to leave Helsinki and that the ship
had been held all night while German
attaches tried in vain to persuade them to
change their minds. ... At Berlin, it was said
the 700 Helsinki Germans were leaving on
the ship along with 150 Italians, 100
Estonians, and the 40 members of the
Russian legation. The Finnish diplomats in
Moscow still have not been given permission
to leave Russia. ... A raging snowstorm had
kept airplanes grounded here Saturday but it
was feared that a mass attack on Helsinki
would come at the first break in the weather.
... One Finnish plane crew reported it had
wiped out a unit of 41 Soviet soldiers. One
member of the crew claimed the unit was cut
down with a burst of machine-gun fire that
demonstrated Finnish marksmanship. ... The
commander of another air squadron reported
to headquarters that "while we don't want to
boast, the boys downed six Red planes." ...
Another pilot reported he had downed one
Soviet plane and damaged others in a single-
handed attack on a Soviet squadron. ... A
Finnish battery was described as destroying
a Russian battery in a churchyard in Karelia
with two well-placed shots. ... Heavy snowfall
continued to aid the Finns this afternoon
[Monday] and there was no sign of Russian
planes.

Moscow, United Press, The Merced
(California) Sun-Star, Monday, December 4,
1939: The Soviet government announced
tonight it would not engage in any peace
negotiations with the Finnish government at
Helsinki.

Paris, United Press, The Merced (California)
Sun-Star, Monday, December 4, 1939: The
Polish government, now established on
French soil, today said in a statement it has
confirmed that the Germans massacred 350
Polish hostages in Gdynia. The statement
said the hostages were forced to dig their
own graves and then were shot.

London, United Press, The Merced
(California) Sun-Star, Monday, December 4,
1939: The Exchange-Telegraph News
Agency (British) reported from Geneva today
that Soviet Russia planned to resign from the
League of Nations. The League has been
summoned for next week to consider
Finland's demands for sanction against the
U.S.S.R.

Geneva, United Press, The Merced
(California) Sun-Star, Monday, December 4,
1939: Prime Minister Eamon DeValera of
Eire, president of the League of Nations
assembly, has convened the assembly for
December 11, it was announced officially
today. The meeting was called upon
Finland's demand that League sanctions be
imposed against Soviet Russia. ... It was
expected DeValera would be reelected
president of the assembly when it meets
next week.

Buenos Aires. United Press, The Merced
(California) Sun-Star, Monday, December 4,
1939: The Argentine government today
sent a message to the secretary of the
League of Nations urging expulsion of the
Soviet Union from the League because of the
invasion of Finland.

Moscow, United Press, The Merced
(California) Sun-Star, Monday, December 4,
1939: A Soviet communique said today the
Finns were in retreat and being pursued by
the Red Army about 12 miles south of the
Arctic port of Petsamo.

[Stay tuned for late breaking war bulletins.
... Globalization41.]